Large Scale Central

It's a pain

General Discussion
#1

I was a battery-only layout until this year. I’m the only one in our club that uses battery so I decided to electrify my layout so both coujd run. I’m beginning to think it’s not worth it.

I had a short in one of my blocks so I had to track it down. I was able to get four out of six blocks working on Saturday. I discovered that with our desert heat I had several insulated Split-jaws that had shifted despite them being tightened.

Today I went back to work on the other two blocks. After spending an hour on one block I discovered that I have a new short in one of the other four blocks that I got working yesterday! In order to find that short I have to disconnect the four formerly working blocks and start over!

THIS IS NOT FUN!

#2

Doug,

I put up with track power for over twenty-five years. I finally “saw the light” and converted to all-battery in 2007. Never looked back.

#3

An old trick from my HO days that I still use is to put a small piece of plastic between the rails I want insulated, then file it to the shape of the rail. Gives added insurance to keeping the rails from touching and shorting out due to expansion. I usually used ABS instead of styrene as it seems to hold up better.

#4

Doug,
Most of our club members run battery only layouts.
We don’t cater to any members who run track power.
But having said that, the non battery users still attend run meetings and enjoy watching battery trains.
Sooner or later, they convert.
In my opinion, forget about the track power.

#5

Wise wise words Mr Bouck. :wink:

#6
John Bouck said:
Doug, Most of our club members run battery only layouts. We don't cater to any members who run track power. But having said that, the non battery users still attend run meetings and enjoy watching battery trains. Sooner or later, they convert. In my opinion, forget about the track power.
Really? :lol: Sounds a lot like being "born again", doesn't it? :lol: :P :P :lol:
#7

Running on track power is tolerable when you start out in this hobby. Because that’s just what you have to do to run trains. Just another aspect of learning the hobby is all the tricks to making trains run on track power. The fixes and the maintenance may even be “fun” during the honeymoon stage. But eventually … if you haven’t seen the light, you just sit on the sidelines jealous of those that have. :slight_smile:

Lots of excuses to NOT convert to battery power. But I can and do run my trains nearly everyday. Most of my fellow club members running track power may only run a couple of times a year. :frowning:

#8

Please factor in what your overall RR concept/outlook is. Such as how your track was prepared, whether it’s for operation or roundy round, switches,wyes,sidings all play a factor as does equiptment when debating track verses battery power. I personally like to MU modern diesels pulling (1:1) 40’ long freights on track power with welded rail (or the scale concept of such) going roundy round. Just my 2 cents with no harm or foul on either end of the horizon.
Holy crap is that light I see…naaah just a reflection.
:wink:

#9

Do as Cozad does: His layout has no track power. A track power visitor takes a battery loco for a spin. Next time they visit, they’re battery users too. Like being born again? Maybe more like being infected

(http://www.outsidetrains.com/smile/mischief.gif)

(I got it on account of Ric Golding.)

#10

Yep, the simple fix is put a small piece of plastic between the rail ends. Simple and easy to do. Not a reason to get upset about track power.

Funny, I don’t have any problems.

I also don’t feel compelled to switch to battery power because someone runs battery. What works for them is fine. I likewise don’t feel compelled to convert them to track power.

Battery power won’t give me what I want from the hobby. Too many compromises in loco size, performance, extras.

Greg

#11

Del nailed it on the head! We all have or will start with track power but once our layouts expand (more switches, wyes, reversing loops, etc.) the benefits of battery power win out. When I finally get some track on the ‘ground’ I will start with a bit, track powered, but i can’t see myself wiring up multiple blocks and reversing sections as the layout get bigger. I would want to run track wherever through my backyard and not have to worry about electrical ‘issues’.
My 2 bits worth.

#12

Greg, we were writing at the same time I guess. I did not mean to ‘dis’ track power guys. We all have our preferences. You like Fords and I like GMC. eg.

#13

It’s an age old struggle. My point was not to start a fight, but a simple thing in your tracks is remember that rail grows and shrinks in the outside. (battery or track power!)

Never trust an air gap! The Aristo #6 switches are famous for the small point rails moving in and shorting to the frog too, just as an additional tip for Doug.

Regards, Greg

#14

Yes I can see your reasoning especially where Doug lives.

#15

Doug,
Nice to see you making the effort for your friends.
Ralph

#16

isn’t it wonderfull? everybody knows what is the best system for everybody else. seems, that i am an eternal starter in this hobby - i am playing in largescale with trackpower since 1970… i plan to stay with trackpower. because it is better for me. for me - not necessarily for you. and that is the whole point. we all want different things from and with our layouts. if it would be my pleasure to shuffle my rolling stock in yards, probably i would prefer direct control of my trains too. maybe even with battery power. but being as desorganized, as i am, i am afraid that i would not run trains everytime i would like to. simply for having forgotten to charge the batteries. but as i am so oldfashioned to like it if trains go roundy-round, i see no reason, why i should choose a system that needs additional attention from me. often it is mentioned, that the wiring of trackpowered layouts is one of the reasons not to use it. fine. the consequence of not wiring a layout seems to be, to run around the layout to operate switches by hand. so if i don’t want to run about, while running trains, either i build a pneumatic system or a cablesystem for my switches - or i wire them. if i wire my switches, that bit of additional wire splicing for trackpower once every decade or so, seems acceptable to ME. so if i do want to have the leisure to sip some liquid or to brag about my layout to guests while the trains run, for ME trackpower is the best. coming 25 of december it will be 40 years, that i belong to the congregation of the plug-worshiping brassies. i think, that it would be more probable for me to convert to the holy spagetty monster, than to succumb to the temptation of the unholy battery heretics. ploink (that was the sound of two cents on the table) edit: about shorting - one solution is to smear some silicone sealer into the gaps between rails.

(http://kormsen.ko.funpic.de/bahn/track/track04.JPG)

#17

Doug if its to much for you to do the hole layout then just do a section. It is very kind of you to think of the others in your club and go to the trouble so they can run on your layout.

Me I started out track power, its the only way I can get 5 to 7 hours of non-stop running at Christmas time each night. I have also gotten a batt loco and converted two others to be batt/track ones so that I can run on the clubs layout or at any ones layout with some of my stuff and like Doug is trying to do anyone and everyone can run on my layout.

I say do what works best for you and what you like best.

#18

Track vs battery? If it works for you, then it’s a good choice.

Personally, cleaning the rail when the silly thing hiccups is easier than remembering to plug in the charger and monitor it so it doesn’t overcharge… but then, I’m a simple kind of guy with simple wants, and a pitiful budget. Others would probably be quite bored with what I have, and I might even feel differently if I had more track to maintain, or had a really pesky gremlin… At the moment the biggest worry I have is whether I just wired a dead short because I was simply too lazy to double check the loco wiring before doing the tender and decided to trust my sieve of a memory… easy enough to tell, and fairly easy to fix.

#19

I with Korm and Mik on this one. I like my track power as well. I cant be bothered with remembering to charge a batterie. I like being able to turn the trains on and let them go. For me to convert to batterie would be too expensive (I know the battery guys say it is cheaper, I dont think it is) I would have to pay someone to do it for me, I would hate to use the same car as a trailing car, Thats because Im anal like that lol. I dont trust myself with taking wires apart. I do plan on converting one loco to battery but only for running in the snow.

#20

Track power is the usual method here: not a great big RR but a manageable one for me. I have a battery power trailing car option for the few occasions when this seems necessary.

I find it necessary to check the track before running, which is most afternoons (no it doesn’t rain every day here as is commonly thought lol), as leaves, sap, snails/slugs, bird droppings etc. are always present. The exercise gained by cleaning track is therapeutic and dare I say it beneficial to body joints.

Another advantage is that anyone else that visits - providing they have 45mm. gauge models - can run. Battery and live steam guys can run: I just switch off the power.